January Festivals

Guru Gobind Singh's Jayanti

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Nanak Guru, was born at Patna Sahib on December 22, 1666. His birthday generally falls in December or January or sometimes twice within a year as it is calculated according to Hindu Bikrami Calendar, which is based on the lunar calendar. According to the Nanakshahi Calendar, the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib falls annually on January 5. this year it is on January 15.

An overview of Guru Gobind Singh's life

Guru Gobind Singh lived during an extremely dangerous time. His father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, had sacrificed his life to protect the freedom of worship by Hindus, who were being threatened with conversion or death by zealous Muslim rulers. Abduction of women and pillage of goods were rampant, but the people were too timid and terrorized to resist. In the midst of this political situation, Guru Gobind Singh gained great stature as both Saint and soldier: a leader of firm spiritual principles and intense devotion to God, and at the same time, fearless dedication to protecting all people from oppression and injustice through the practice of Kshatradharma.

In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh dramatically initiated five men from the lower castes as His Panch Pyare, blessing them with great courage as well as nearness to God. They became models for the Khalsa, the Order of the Pure, which Guru Gobind Singh created to stand on the front line against injustice. The Khalsa were held to a very strict moral and spiritual discipline and under Guru Gobind Singh's courageous inspiration, helped to turn the tide against Mughal oppression in India.

In addition to his spiritual and military leadership, Guru Gobind Singh was a gifted intellectual and had many poets in his court. He was inspired to write many powerful spiritual compositions that infused a martial spirit in the people. This included the Jaap Sahib, but He did not include them in the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. His writings have instead been collected in a separate volume, called the Dasam Granth. Upon His passing away, He instructed his Sikhs to regard the Guru Granth Sahib as their teacher.

'Granth' literally means 'volume' (especially, a Holy volume). 'Sahib' is a term of reverence used for anything sacred. The Guru Granth Sahib is the perpetual guru of the Sikhs today.

Vasanta Panchami

A very important festival of Hindus, celebrated in Bengal on the fifth day in the month of Magha and is marked by the worship of Saraswati. It also marks the advent of spring and the end of the long winter. It also known as Sirapanchami in Bihar and Orissa, when the ploughs are worhsipped and the land is furrowed after the winter months. In Bengal, the day is celebrated as Saraswati Puja and is marked by the worship of Goddess Saraswati.

Vasanta Panchami heralds the spring season. It is hence celebrated with gaiety and festivity to mark the end of winter. Colour yellow, symbolic of spring, plays an important part on this day. One to all are dressed in yellow colour, offering of yellow colour flowers are made during the pujas. Kesar halwa is the special dish prepared during this festival as this dish is also yellow in colour. Some people worship Lord Indra, Varuna and Brahma. Whereas there are others who worship Kama and Rati.

In Bihar and Orissa, farmers refer this festival as Sirapanchami and celebrate it by making an auspicious mark of rice paste and vermilion on their plough. Then they place their ploughs on a rangoli. Thereafter they make ceremonial furrows in the ground.

In Bengal, on this day, people worhsip Goddess Saraswati. In fact, this day is known as Saraswati Puja in West Bengal. No authentic explanation exists why this day has been chosen for the Saraswati Puja. Some believe it to be the birthday of Goddess Saraswati. For this very reason, this festival is also known as Vagishvari Jayanti Panchami. Others believe that on this day Goddess Sarswati came down to earth along with Goddess Durga to drive away the ignorance that Mahishasura was nurturing within him.

Myth I

By making Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of learning and wisdom, the consort of Brahma, the progenitors sought to link creation or origin with learning and knowledge. This stressed the fact that without proper knowledge there can be no origin, no creation. It also demonstrates the high regard accorded to knowledge in Hindu culture. Saraswati Puja is observed to commemorate this. Thus objective of Saraswati Puja is to achieve distinction in all academic disciplines. In addition to this the continuity of the dynastic line of the devotee, his material prosperity and fame are also within the purview of worship.

Decorated tents are erected in public places and the image of the Goddess is placed on a raised platform. A number of devotees congregate in the morning to perform prayer after which aarti is performed. On this day, the family priest puts chalk in the hand of the youngest child of the family and guides the child's hand in writing an alphabet. In fact some parents wait for this auspicious day to begin education of their child. Many children are made to write their first alphabet on this day after the end of prayers.

As per custom, students abstain from studying on this day. Ink pots and pens are worshipped and not used to write as these objects are venerated. Musicians especially in South India place their instruments before the Goddess's shrine and worship them by offering fruit, coconut, cloth, incense and oil lamps. Early next morning the image of Goddess is immersed in water to mark the end of the worship.

Myth II

This festival dates to antiquity. It is reminiscent of the festival of Vasantotsava of ancient times which was one of the most famous festival to mark the beginning of the agricultural season.

Makar Sankranti

Makar literally means Capricorn and sankranti is the day when the sun passes from one sign of the Zodiac to the next. The sankranti of any month is considered auspicious as it signifies a fresh start. However, Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the month of Magha when the sun passes from the Tropic of Cancer to Tropic of Capricorn.

According to Hindu mythology, one human year of 365 days is equivalent to one day and one night of the Gods. Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of the day of Gods, which is equivalent to six solar months and is believed to be auspicious part of the year. The previous six months, considered the night and therefore symbolic of darkness and evil, are inauspicious.

Makar Sankranti is believed to be the time when Surya rides his chariot, drawn by seven horses, from the southern skies to the north. For the pastoral people therefore, it is of prime importance for it signifies the end of the winters and paves way for the summers.

Today Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout India as a harvest festival. It is the time when farmers bring home their harvest. In the coastal regions, it is a harvest festival dedicated to Indra. In Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated as a three-day harvest festival Pongal. In Assam, the festival is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu, and in Punjab it is called Lohri.

Bathing is considered mandatory on this day. And according to a popular myth, one who does not bathe on Makar Sankranti is born a donkey in the next birth.

Khichri is eaten and distributed as prasad. Some call it Khichri Sankranti. People distribute rice and lentil on this day. Special laddoos of sesame and jaggery known as tilgul are prepared on this occasion.

A big fair is held at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers at Triveni in Allahabad on this occasion. This fair is also known as Magha Mela. Apart from Triveni, ritual bathing also takes place at many places like Haridwar and Garh Mukteshwar.

Saraswati Puja

Ma Saraswati is the Goddess whom we all worship to get her blessing to do well in our studies. This is perhaps the only Goddess which is worshipped in every nook and corner of Bengal. Even the most atheist of households worship Ma Saraswati.

The puja of Ma Saraswati is held at a time when the winter comes to an end and spring begins. It is the time of the beginning of 'Basanta Kaal'.

The puja starts early in the morning with 'aarti'. Various hymns are recited begins the 'aaroti'. After the aarti all the devotees seek the blessing of Ma Saraswati. This aspect of the puja is normally referred to as 'Boi Puja'

Saraswati Puja is also the day of eating plums. Plums, called 'kool' in Bengali is the most sought after fruit on the day of Saraswati Puja. 'Kooler Chatni' is a must for that day. 'Kool' or plum is a fruit of spring time.

On the day of Saraswati puja, young children starts writing through a ceremony called 'Hatey-Khori'. This is a ceremony which marks the beginning of writing for young children. It is believed that one becomes a learned person if one starts his introduction with letters from this auspicious day.

On this auspicious day a community lunch is organised at the temple with fixed menu of - khichdi, payas, labra, kooler chatni.